Damodara Programme in a nutshell

1. What is the Damodara Programme? 

It is a simple programme aimed at capitalizing the most auspicious month of Damodara/Kartik to introduce Lord Krishna to as many people as possible, especially offering them a chance to offer ghee lamps to Krishna. 

The sastras clearly elucidates the glories of this simple act of devotion, done knowingly or unknowingly. 
 

2. What are the activities of Damodara Programme? 

What we are doing in Malaysia is very limited. The options are endless. The following are some the ways we have adopte din Malaysia that you may want to duplicate in your yatra: 

i. Damodara Harinama Carolling: Devotees travel in small groups performing Harinama sankirtan in residential areas. They carry with them a small deity/picture of Lord Damodara and ghee lamps. Whenever they get an opportunity they enter the homes and invite members of the home to offer ghee lamps to the mobile altar while harinama chanting goes on. 

Before leaving, the devotees hand-out prasadam and brochures explaining the glories of the Damodara puja. 

Last year we visited more than 3500 homes in one month. 

ii. Setting up booth at public place: Last year we set-up an booth at a Sales Fair in the city. The booth was beautifully decorated with large picture of Lord Damodara. Patrons of the fair were given a chance to offer ghee lamps throughout the 20-day fair free of charge. Some 15,000 visited the booth. 

iii. Medium/large gatherings: We organize large Damodara Puja gatherings at Hindu Temples, Schools, Welfare Homes, etc.

These programme consists of bhajans, class of Lord Damodara pastimes, ghee lamps offering and prasadam. 

iv: Mega project: Last year we launch the beginning of the Damodara festival at a Sales Carnival with the attendance of VIPs. The programme consisted of the launch, cultural programmes and mass offering of ghee lamps. Some 1500 people took part in the event. 

What we have presented are only a limpse of what can be done in this month to introduce Krishna consciousness. 

3.. What are the advantages of the Damodara programme? 

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  1. Devotees get a chance to meet and make contacts with many people through homes visits, gatherings, etc. We also get to enter into homes of virtual strangers – an opportunity we do not get during other times.

 

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  1. Awards good publicity amongst the Hindus because Damodara Puja is tied-up with Diwali festival. Diwali festival is celebrated grandly by the Hindus in Malaysia and around the world.

 

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  1. A soft way of introducing Krsihna consciousness that is well-received by the public. We do not take donations or ask anything in return. This is appreciated by the people.

 

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  1. The home visits have created many friends of ISKCON.

 

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  1. A very good way of introducing the glories of Damodara lila. In Malaysia, at least, the spiritual aspect of Diwali is virtually lost.

 

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  1. Devotees get immense spiritual benefit by introducing others to offer ghee lamps to Lord Damodara.

 

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  1. A good way to encourage congregation devotees to join in Harinama during this month.

 

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  1. Create new devotees by cultivating the contacts that we made in this month. Some homes have begun to host this festival annually.

 
 
 

4. History in Malaysia 
 

We started of with this  programme 7 years ago by visiting homes of devotees during the Damodara month.

Sometimes devotees hosted gatherings in their homes by inviting friends and relatives.

Gradually, we ventured into homes of anyone who is interested to host this programme and then to public places such as schools, colleges, temples, etc. 

Last year alone, we visited 3500 over homes and some 70,000 people got a chance to offer ghee lamps to Krishna. 

This programme will be ideal where there is a large Hindu community in the area.

We also have experience where non-Hindus have invited us into their homes to perform Damodara puja. 
 

5. What the Congregation Development Ministry is offering? 

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  1. We are offering to provide free samples of all the necessary print materials that we are using for this festival is hardcopy and softcopy.

 

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  1. We are willing to share further information with any interested party through e-mail communications.

 

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  1. We are willing to conduct brief seminar/training on this programme in your yatra.

 
 

6. Seminars/training 

Members from our department are planning to travel to the below-mentioned countries to share this wonderful gift with the different yatras. We will be bearing our own travel expenses:- 

1. Major temples in India
2. Bangladesh
3. Indonesia
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Middle East
7. Mauritius
8. South Africa

 

7. For further information on this programme, kindly contact:- 

i. Uttama Caitanya dasa – president@iskconkl.com

 00-6012-3041437  

ii. Visnu Caitanya dasa – hgriva@tm.net.my

 00-6017-3360055